Benjamin f



(No Model.)

.B. RWALTERS.

Elevator.

Patented Dec. 14,1880.

l fimeywaq' r NPETERS, FHOTO LITHOGRAFHER, WASNKNGTGN n c.

UNITED STATES ?ATENT Urmcn.

BENJAMIN F. \VALTERS, ()F NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

ELEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,597, dated December14, 1880.

Application filed October 19, 1880. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. WALTERs, a citizen of the United States,residing atNorfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawin gs, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an elevator containing my improvements.Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

The operative parts of the elevator are portedin a suitable frame.

In the drawings the frame is represented as being formed of uprights A,joined by cross beams or girts. Within the frame thus formed are mountedthe upper shaft, B, and the lower shaft, B. The ends of the lower shaft,13, are situated loosely in vertical slots 0, formed in thesupporting-frame. The slots permit the shaft to rise and fallautomatically in order to adjust itself, such automatic adjustment beingmade necessary by the shrinking and expanding of the ropes.

' Upon the shaft B B are mounted the grooved wheels D D. E E are theendless ropes moving within the wheels D D.

The carrying devices are represented as being formed of platforms F.They are attached to the ropes E in such manner that they can be usedwhile rising for elevating materials, and while descending for carryingmaterial downward. I prefer to attach the platforms to the ropes bymeans of metallic collars Gr, having laterally-projecting ears 9,through which pass clamping-bolts g.

g g are bolts passing through the platform F and through the collars g,or between said collars. I

By these devices the inner side of the platform can be securely fastenedto the ropes.

H H represent yokes or stirrups, there being two of them on the upperside and two on the lower side of each platform, they being supplaced inthe planes occupied by the ropes E E, respectively.

I I are sliding braces or links, constructed to engage with the yokes orstirrups H H by means of collars i at the outer ends of the braces orlinks. They are secured to the ropes E by means of metallic collars I,to which collars the links or braces I are, respectively, pivoted.

By examining the drawings it will be seen that this constructionprovides a firm support for the platform at all times and in allpositions, and at the same time provides a flexibility of adjustment, sothat when the platforms are passing around the wheels D or D the bracesI can readily adjust themselves to any position.

Any desired number of platforms may be used. It will be understood thatwhen the platforms are descending they can be utilized for loweringmaterial as readily as they can be utilized for elevating when they areascending.

The lower shaft, B, hangs loosely in the slot 0, the weight of the shaftand the wheels D being sufficient to keep the parts under propertension.

After the material has been elevated to the desired point it may beremoved in any preferred manner.

I am aware that heretofore use has been made of an elevator havingendless chains, a platform attached to the chains, rotatingdrums topropel the chains, and links which support the platform, and which arearranged to have their outer ends moved inwardly and outwardly, theybeing connected by links reciprocating in slots in the platform; but byan examination of Fig. l of the accompanying drawings it will be seenthat my links are totally disconnected at the outer ends, so that theplatform can readily adjust itself and be always perpendicular to therope, whether moving in a straight line or in a curved line around thewheels.

If the outer ends of the sliding links be connected together, as is thecase in constructions prior to mine, the upper link begins tomove inwardbefore the lower one, and causes the platform to be thrown into aposition oblique to the path of the ropes to a greater or less extent.Moreover, when the outer ends of the links are attached together, thereresults in nch straining of the parts,which I avoid by leaving theselinks disconnected and attaching them to the platform by means ofstirrups, which permit them to play freely independently of each other.

As I prefer to employ a tight continuous rope for many purposes,(especially for the advantages of increased friction,) it is necessaryto provide a method of fastening the platform and the sliding links tothe rope different from that heretofore used where chains with openlinks were employed. This attachment I provide by the above-describedpeculiarly-shaped clamps I and G, whereby a firmhold is obtained uponthe rope without interfering with its passage around the wheels.

\Vhcn, instead of a drum, use is made of large curved wheels withconsiderable open space between them, there is much danger of lateraldisplacement of the platform while passing around the wheels. To avoidthis, and to insure that the platforms shall be always held in properposition relative to the wheels, Iprovide each platform with aninwardly-extending plate which, when it (the platform) is passing aroundthe wheels, lies between the latter and bears against the inner sides ofboth of the wheels to counteract any displacing tendency.

What I claim is- 1. In an elevator, the combination of the followingelements: the ropes E, the wheels D, the platform F, provided with thestirrups H H, and the links I I, situated, respectively, above and belowthe platform, and having their outer ends connected independently ofeach other to the platform by the separate stirrups H H, as set forth.

2. The combination of the following elements: the wheels D, thecontinuous ropes E, the platform F, the clamping-collar G, theclamping-bolt 9 the collar 1, clamped to the ropes, and the sliding linkI, pivoted to the collar 1, as set forth.

3. The combination of the following elements: the shafts B B, the wheelsD and D, arranged to leave open spaces between the inner sides of thewheels of each pair, the platform F, provided with an extension projectingin wardl y beyond the plane of the ropes,

and the sliding links 1, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. WALTERS.

Witnesses:

WM. W. OLD, WM. H. VVALES, Jr.

